I stole the above quote from oxygen magazine. I think it is so important to set goals for yourself. Life is not just about weight loss and gain.

Another favorite quote of mine is:

"Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated."

Now I wish my obsession with fitness could also be an obsession with diet but honestly I am not there. I eat well most of the time but I do splurge on bad stuff a few times a week.

I reached my ...

I stole the above quote from oxygen magazine. I think it is so important to set goals for yourself. Life is not just about weight loss and gain.

Another favorite quote of mine is:

"Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated."

Now I wish my obsession with fitness could also be an obsession with diet but honestly I am not there. I eat well most of the time but I do splurge on bad stuff a few times a week.

I reached my initial goal weight of 134 lbs in November 2007. I was leery about trying to lose more weight than that initially. In my early 20's I had eating disorder tendencies and although I weighed 120-125 lbs it was not in a healthy way. I exercised a ton but I really restricted what I ate. Eventually I realized what I was doing to myself and started to eat and cut back on the exercise. My highest weight ever was 155 lbs. Before I got pregnant in March of 2004 I lost 15 lbs by upping my exercise and started my pregnancy at 138-140 lbs. I only gained 20 lbs while pregnant (had my son 5 weeks early). I lost all my pregnancy weight immediately but when I stopped exclusively pumping breast milk my weight crept back up to 145 lbs. I then got stuck in the 140-145 lbs range. I was exercising but I was eating junk.

For the first time in my life since joining spark I lost the weight while eating and working out a ton. I thank my sparkfriends for helping me get here safely.

Do you only have 10 - 20 lbs to lose? Are in decent shape and want to lose that stubborn last 10 lbs? If yes, I highly recommend the book "Making the Cut" by Jillian Michael's (from the Biggest Loser). I highly believe in circuit training now thanks to this book and the great results I had and will continue to incorporate these workouts into my fitness program. I personally didn't lose the 10 lbs in a month like the book says you can but I also didn't follow the diet. However, I dropped at least 5% body fat!!!

During the program and basically from sept 07 to feb 08 I tracked my calorie deficit. Basically you eat at your BMR (just google BMR calculator) in order to create a deficit with exercise. 1 lb is equal to approx 3500 calories so in order to lose a pound you need to create a deficit of about 3500 calories.

This is how I calculated it...

(BMR+Calories Burned)-Calories Consumed= deficit/surplus

I have found a new love in running in October 2007 which was inspired by some fellow sparkers. Before the only reason I ran was because I was chasing a field hockey ball or I was late for work. I didn't enjoy running as a sport by itself. I am really enjoying getting out there and pounding that pavement. It gives me time to be alone and be an athlete all in one. I can push myself everyday if I want or not. That is the beauty of running. I completed my first half marathon 17/02/08 and can't wait for a lifetime of running.

*****update: summer/fall 2009 with running injuries and nose surgery my activity dropped and my calories didn't. my weight is back up to 140 lbs after over 2 years of maintaining. working on getting it back down again.

*****update falll 2010 - still at 140. maintaining here. not running as many miles so not burning as many calories. i looke good at this weight though!

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**QUOTES THAT HELP ME GET THROUGH THE TOUGH DAYS**

To get what we've never had we must do what we've never done.

There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either in or out. There's no such thing as a life in-between.

Keep on moving.

"Do or do not; there is no try." YODA

The First 2 Rules of Self-Improvement: #1 - It will be difficult. #2 - It will be worth it.

"Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible."--Escher

"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it."--Ancient Chinese Proverb

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."--Albert Einstein

Run when you can, walk when yoU have to, crawl if you must; just never give up. - - Dean Karnazes Runner and author of Ultramarathon Man.

Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." Author: Christopher Robin

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." Andy Warhol

"obsessed is a word that the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

It's YOUR life. YOU are responsible for YOUR results.

"we must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us." joseph campbell

It is okay for me to have everything I want.

Jeff Galloway says: "There are no health benefits for running faster. It�s only for the ego... but there's nothing wrong with a weekly ego boost." (thanks tricotine for that one)

"exercise is for people who can't handle drugs and alcohol." lily tomlin

the past cannot be changed. the future is yet in your power. -mary pickford